After three Stand Alone episodes, serving as introduction to the characters and world of GitS, we have here the first Complex episode, which triggers to the first season main storyline, the Laughing Man case.

Intercepter opens with an old friend of Togusa's, Yamaguchi, who works in the Laughing Man case investigation, contacting him regarding suspicious activites in the police department, including the high personnel. Soon, Yamaguchi is killed and Section 9 gets itself involved.

Through a quick talk between the two, we discover that the Laughing Man case first happened years ago and was left without solution:

As an introduction to the case, the events here serve as base to what's to come.

Once again, we're reminded of the world's aspects through assumptions of a hyper technological reality:

Showing police corruption and suggesting the involvement of a big corporation:

Micromachine = nanomachine

We have a little taste on what's to come in the next chapters.

The case, as far as I can remember, is not a easy one to follow, demanding full attention, but it's here the series stands out above others.

In the ending, the "villain" shows face.

Or not!

Some years past the series ending, it's funny to see an excellent parallel of a fictional haker and his current, real-life counterpart, ladies and gentlemen, Julian Assange!

But that's subject for a future, in-depth analysis. For now, I dare you not to admit the resemblance: